Martinsburg independent. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1875-1900, 1887-01-29
TN THE MANGER.
Pioneer Press.


well as deep significance in the fact
that the Savior was born, not in a
palace, nor hut, nor any private
apartment but al an inn, free to all
corners, rich and poor. Aad not
eyen In the inn, but in it's stable
where beggars and cattle and beasts
OF burthen came for rest and comfort
1t is easy to imagine, looking back
at the marvellous coming of this Dl-
vine Teacher, the details of the events
on that first Christmas day.
The inn was lonely one, standing
on one Of the hills that surrounded
tina little mountain village. 1t was
filed with travellers of all conditions,
who, like Joseph ahd Mary, had come
up to Bethlehem under the decree OF
Augustus to be taxed These richer
folks were not likely to take much in
terest in the birth of a child in the
stable filed with their camels.
The rumor probably passed from
lip to lip; and momentary feeling
of good -humoredcompassion or con-
tempt for the poor wretches who were
always bringing their misery into
more comfortable lives iu such inap-
propriate ways, was all the attention
the matter was likely to excite.
What importance could the birth of
the child of such people have to these
well to do citizens !? They had their
journey to complete, their taxes to
pay, to provide food and forage, to
take care that their property was not
assessed too highly-here were affairs
of real weight, worthy of the atten
rion of practical men! Before dawn
came the mysterious shining star,
above the stable in the sky, and from
hill and plain may be seen by the
early dawn, travellers from far off
India and Africa, bringing gold,
frankincense and myrrh, the gifts of
fered to new born kings. Twilight
energies into the broad light of day,
The god of day rises in all his splen
dor to gid the earth with his reful-
gent rays and begins his daily march
across the halls OF the sky. Looking
forth from the inn, it is curious to
imagine the amusement and amaze
ment with which they saw the stable
surrounded in the early morning
watches, by the shepherds in search
OF the newborn child, and heard
their story of the marvellous glory in
the heavens. We are told nothing
of the effect which these events pro-
duced on the we'll TODD respectable
inmates of the inn, except that they
wondered at them, and told the story
probably on their return home as one
of the Incidents of their journey, and
then put it aside, thinking the whole
occurrence only an instance of the |
superstition of the lower classes,
which would be forgotten in few
days
But it has not been forgotten. The
occurrence which even now seems so
incredible to some, has revolutionized
the world There is to day no civil
cation, no enlightenment, not SIN
gle triumph of humane or elevating
principle IN the world that is not due
to the birth of the child of that jew
ish peasant in the stable. 1t is the
nations who believe in Him who are
leading humanity to higher levels of
freedom and knowledge, to liberality
of thought, and purity and heroism
of action, and it is by virtue of their
faith in Him that they do it.
In few years our business and
our pleasures, and the great changes
in politics and in trade will have
passed away like melted snow from
the earth, and we shall have been for
gotten; but the faith of mems souls
in the child in the manger, will be as
it is now, the one permeating, vivify-
ing influence in all humanity.
j. J. JOINER.
Martins Ferry. O.